This study examined whether social mistrust in early adolescence was general or referent-specific. We used a multi-trait multi-method approach to examine the validity of mistrust measures across social referents (mistrust toward people in general, toward peers, and toward teachers), using questionnaires and an online task. Sixth graders (N = 1243,…

According to the failure model (Patterson & Capaldi, 1990), peer rejection is the intermediary link between problem behaviors and internalizing symptoms. The present study tested the model with 464 monozygotic and same-sex dizygotic twin pairs (234 female, 230 male dyads). Teacher-reported reactive aggression and internalizing symptoms, and…

The overall objective of this study was to investigate the longitudinal association between diffusion of responsibility and pro-aggressive bystander behavior across three time points in upper elementary education. This three-wave longitudinal study included 1905 Swedish students who completed a questionnaire in at least one of the three waves: the…

The well-known associations of peer status (acceptance and rejection) with prosocial and aggressive behaviors have mostly relied on peer status measures assessed at a single time point. This study adopted a person-oriented approach to examine longitudinal links between stable peer status profiles assessed at two time points and prosocial and…

There is limited research examining peer victimization (PV) experiences in early childhood, particularly during the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Given the gaps in the PV literature among this young population and the need for earlier PV prevention and intervention efforts, the current study advances the literature by examining: (1)…

The relationship between teachers and students plays a critical role in the psychosocial development of children and youth. The literature documents numerous studies over several decades that have examined links between teacher-student relationships (TSRs) and bullying perpetration and victimization among students. The present meta-analytic study…

In recent years, bullying victimization has received increasing attention from researchers worldwide. The link between bullying victimization and reactive aggression is well-established in numerous studies. However, longitudinal association and underlying mechanisms remain less explored. This study examined gender-specific effects of traditional…

Early adolescence is a critical time for promoting emerging adolescents' positive social skill development and mental well-being. This investigation addresses unique characteristics of these relations by holistically examining how school-based social cohesion and school stress combine to impact peer aggression and prosocial behavior. Using a…

Moral disengagement is a cognitive mechanism that seeks to avoid the feeling of guilt in the face of transgressive behaviors and seems to be present in behaviors such as cyberbullying, cybergossip or bullying in adolescence. Few studies have explored this connection in the primary school years, even though gossip, bullying and cyberbullying are…

The aim of this phenomenological study was to determine the experiences and views of elementary school teachers about mobbing. To address this issue, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 female and 19 male elementary school teachers working in public elementary schools. Four themes emerged during the analysis: reasons for…

Peer victimization in schools is a growing concern in China, linked to increased emotional difficulties and behavioral difficulties. A positive school climate may serve as a protective factor against both peer victimization and its adverse outcomes. This study examined the longitudinal relations between peer victimization, aggression, and school…

We explored the potential of using a peer relations approach for researching children's citizenship in elementary classrooms. Children express or enact citizenship through their behavior toward classmates and the relationships they engage in (i.e., lived citizenship). These behaviors and relationships can be more or less in line with goals for…

Background: Educators in rural schools are uniquely situated to address youth mental health disparities, yet often face challenges in delivering mental health supports. This paper describes the process of adapting the evidence-based Coping Power program, a small group prevention program for youth with aggressive behavior problems, to be a…

We examined associations between proactive and reactive aggression and peer likability across two academic years. Analyses were based on a sample of 442 elementary school children. Proactive and reactive aggression were assessed through self-report and peer likability was assessed via a peer nomination inventory. Data were collected in the fall…

Current evidence-based prevention programming targeting child externalizing problems demonstrates modest overall effect sizes and is largely ineffective for a sizable proportion of youth who participate. However, our understanding of the youth and family characteristics associated with response to specific programming is quite limited. The current…